The New Jersey Devils need help on defense, to nobody’s surprise. Nobody expected the team to have a defense as good as the Scott Stevens cup winning days this season, but the blue line without a doubt underperformed. Returning for the second time in black and red, Sami Vantanen was a huge and slow disappointment. Ryan Murray was a low-risk, high-reward type player, but never really moved the needle. All those hoping for a “revenge-year” from P.K. Subban after the Lindsay Vaugh split were left disappointed. Seriously, why didn’t you think a break up would make him play better?
Damon Severson was his normal reliable and some say underrated self. Ty Smith’s offense was as advertised, yet his defensive game needs work. Still, had he stayed healthy and this team not have its complete season unravel down the stretch, Smith may have received some Calder Trophy votes.
Seth Jones of the Columbus Blue Jackets has made headlines as a possible trade target. For many reasons, I think New Jersey should stay away unless the deal is just too good to pass up (which isn’t likely to happen). Enter Vince Dunn, the restricted free agent defenseman from the St. Louis Blues who is on the trade block.
Let’s Talk About Vince Dunn
Young, big bodied defenseman are the type of player that teams don’t like letting get away, especially when they’re under team control. I had to do a little bit of research of Dunn. After all, we didn’t see him this past season with the conferences being the way they are. Also, I needed to look into the rumors surrounding what St. Louis wants and why they’re letting him get away.
St. Louis Game Time has a great article on the Vince Dunn talks. Dunn was a second-pairing defensemen on the Blues this season coming off a one year contract. Instead of trading him at the deadline, St. Louis might have kept him for two reasons. One, their asking price was too high. Second, they didn’t want to mess with team chemistry. Dunn never was a “make-or-break” player for the Blues, so I’m leaning toward believing that first reason.
What’s The Asking Price
This is where it’s getting a little confusing. According to the St. Louis Game Time article, the Blues might want to move Dunn because they feel the need to keep their cup window open. Apparently they are afraid the team’s “cup window,” is coming to a close. If St. Louis wants “ready-now” pieces, I don’t think the New Jersey devils can help them. All of the Devils young talent is either an important piece for the team, or still developing. Sure, there are a few players that tom Fitzgerald might not shy away from dealing, but who? Who do you think is enough from the Devils for St. Louis to make the splash they feel they need to make?
Earlier this season, Elliot Friedman reported that St. Louis would want a first round pick for Dunn. Draft picks are worth more than ever for two reasons. First, the flat cap for the next year is causing to teams to want to minimize cost wherever they can. St. Louis has over $17,000,000 in available cap space. Still they might want to save money by not resigning Dunn, who will want a raise from his current $1,875,000 average annual value.
Secondly, the expansion draft is coming. Even if he was a second pairing defenseman at times, St. Louis has plenty of players worth protecting. Dunn would have likely been a expansion draft casualty, losing him for nothing to the Seattle Kraken.
If it’s a first round pick the St. Louis Blues want then they and the Devils can do business. The Devils still have the New York Islanders’ first round pick this season, courtesy of the Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac trade. A late first round pick for Dunn, who was injured and couldn’t play in the playoffs, seems like a fair deal. Even if the pick is later in the first round than St. Louis would have wanted New Jersey might be the only team coming up to bat with a first round pick in their offer.